Leslie-Jean Thornton's Garden Grow

This was taken in April 2011 -- a grab shot seen by chance as I was driving near Roosevelt in downtown Phoenix. The garden took my breath so I pulled over to capture the image. Suddenly, a woman appeared in the perfect hollyhock-matching dress in the well-placed branch-formed arch. Click.

I love how the parking meter grows in the flowers. The scene, for me, epitomizes how Phoenix comes to life fleetingly, vibrantly and in cycles, and how beauty is spotted by looking. Two months later, that was a dirt garden.

The countdown to Best of Phoenix continues! Last year, we profiled 100 Creatives who made a mark on the local arts scene. This year, we'll have 100 creative representations of Phoenix. No scope or requirement on medium or size -- we'll include photography, painting, sculpture, video, installation, literary, and more. What do you see when you Imagine PHX?